We are doing some research into the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML) and the certification they offer.

Can anyone speak to the difference between ICML certification and Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) certification?

Terrence O'Hanlon

I can't say anything other than I have heard of SLTE and never heard of the other one. Why not go for the one that is well-known.

I'm not really sure if there is much of a difference. They are both well-known. If memory serves me right Noria's cert. courses are for ICML

STLE Certification includes the original Certified Lubrication Specialist (CLS) and the more recent Oil Monitoring Analyst (OMA) which has two level, OMA-1 and OMA-2. STLE heard some complaints that the CLS certification exam was too difficult, and was limiting the opportunities for individuals to become certified. Many volunteers worked together to develop the OMA exams. However, when complete, some folks still weren't satisfied that STLE's offerings in certification were adequate for the various types of practicing lubrication professionals.

Included in those volunteer were Noria representatives. Noria then created and spun off the ICML. While Noria definitely funded and provided most of the early support, they've taken efforts to distance themselves so that ICML is a stand-alone organization. It meets ISO guidelines for independent certification organizations.

ICML offers Level I and II in the following disciplines: Machinery Lubrication Technician (MLT), Machinery Lubrication Analyst (MLA), and Laboratory Lubrication Analyst (LLA). MLT is targeted toward maintenance personnel involved in greasing and lubrication activities, filtration, obtaining samples, and designating lubricants. MLA is designed for personnel performing onsite lube analysis, or having responsibility for managing a lube analysis program that sends samples offsite for analysis. LLA is for corporate or contract laboratories that perform analysis on submitted samples.

Which is better? Depends on your goals. I currently hold CLS and OMA-I certifications, and am scheduled to take the LLA-I. An independent consultant, lubricant sales rep or tech rep, may find that CLS is the most prestigious and most helpful to establishing their role with their customers. I have seen most plant-level individuals pursuing the ICML certification that meets their position.

OMA and CLS have helped me as a consultant in the past. Now that we are starting a commercial laboratory, I believe that having LLA for our analysts will help with that effort.

Bottom line, each company should choose a program, and then establish internal documents for certification. This includes training, testing, and field experience documentation for given job descriptions in the organization. I would recommend standardizing on whichever organizations certification programs best fit the internal company goals.

Information about STLE's programs are available at STLE certification

Information about ICML's programs are available at ICML certification

Hope that is helpful

Rich Wurzbach
Maintenance Reliability Group, LLC
rwurzbach@mrgcorp.com

Thanks for your insight Rich. You seem to be plugged into the history.

It seems like there is a huge percentage of people certified through ICML that come through Noria's courses. I am not sure that there are any other commercial courses that could claim more than a few ICML certifications. Is this your understanding as well?

It seems like STLE is not in the training business - simply a true professional organization to serve members with certification as one of those services.

Do you think there is a difference between the type of organization ICML is and the type of organization STLE is?

I am sure both serve great purposes - I am just trying to get a handle on the true nature of each.

On re-reading your comments - it seems like you are saying that ICML is for plant level and STLE is for labs and professional lubrication sales people and consultants. Is that right?

Terry,

I didn't mean to imply that ICML is strictly plant level and STLE is labs and oil pros. You have crossover in each, but I think if I focused on the bulk of the makeup of each, it might break down along those lines.

ICML is kind of the caboose for the Noria Training train, if you will. You'll probably see few individuals taking ICML certification exams that aren't coming off Noria training in some form.

STLE does have training at its conferences, and at local section meetings, that can be used to prepare for their exams. But they are not primarily in the business of providing training, as Noria is. STLE is also non-profit, and a true professional organization, as you point out. Noria is a business.

I will say that Noria has done a fine job filling a need for high-quality training in the industry, and their certification programs seem to be working well for many companies in their efforts to certify employees. Again I think it is up to each company to determine which organization's programs best fit their needs, and to be sure that they augment the training and certification exams available through STLE and ICML with internal company written practice and documentation to provide complete employee certification.

Good Day Folks,
Better late than never....
I'll start by saying that Rich has made some very accurate observations.
One point worth consideration is the timing and reason why the Noria folks left the OMA commitees. As the OMA requirements were being developed and both Jim and Drew were involved at the time. An executive decision was made that precluded the involvement of those directly involved with the comittee and the delivery of a training package. That was one of the main reasons why Noria backed away from STLE and just after that they formed the ICML group.
I recently re-wrote the CLS and OMA2 exams (my previous certification had expired).
I have attended a NORIA sponsored training package and can attest that the training they provide will assist anyone in achieving certification from either of the 2 groups. Really when it comes down to it there is only 1 body of knowledge and the 2 are both tapping into that body of knowledge to make assessments of people to indicate a certain level of competency.
Rich has again hit the nail on the head when he indicated that STLE does not train people to write and pass the exam. STLE training is focused on the knowledge of the trainer as a recognised industry content expert. Each instructor focuses on his particular field of expertise. Whereas the Noria training is a developed course and is taught as a process and product. It really shouldn't matter where you attend a Noria course it will be very similar. I don't want this to sound like critism only a descriptioin of the offerings.
My personal opinion is that a person who is certified by STLE would do well on the ICML exams however I'm not sure that the opposite would be true. This is not ment as a challenge and I'm sure there are exceptions to the statement. I again agree with Rich in that both are serving a segment of the market, Noria training and certification is easier to access. Recently Lubriguard has been sponsoring the STLE exam at the end of their 3 day seminar, it appears that this is a departure from STLE's previous position.

regards...

Alan Wallace

What was your decision after all? Did you get any conclusion? I am also thinking about taking one course but I don´t know which would be better; OMA by STLE or MLA by ICML. The latter has the advantage of being cheaper and you can take level I and II for almost the price of OMA I and at the same time. But I don´t know about the quality of both and the prestigious as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Terrence O'Hanlon:
We are doing some research into the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML) and the certification they offer.

Can anyone speak to the difference between ICML certification and Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) certification?

Terrence O'Hanlon